Gitnux/Report 2026

Executive Search Industry Statistics

Big Four executive search firms generated $8.7 billion in 2023—here are the key market metrics shaping where mandates go next.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Executive Search Industry Statistics
Sophie MorelandWritten by Sophie Moreland·Edited by Aisha Okonkwo·Fact-checked by Nicholas Chambers
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The executive search industry at a glance

The global executive search market reached $20.82 billion in 2025 and is forecast to expand at an 8.8% CAGR through 2030, led by North America and rising demand for scarce leadership talent.

$20.82B[42]
Global market size, 2025
8.8%[42]
Forecast CAGR, 2025–2030
$7B[43]
U.S. industry revenue
40%[43]
Top 50 U.S. revenue share
Market size
The global executive search market was valued at $20.82 billion in 2025. In the United States, the industry generated approximately $7 billion in annual revenue across about 6,000 establishments.[42][43]
Forecast & CAGR
The global market is projected to reach $31.78 billion by 2030, implying an 8.8% compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030. Asia-Pacific is identified as the fastest-growing regional market over the forecast period.[42]
Market share & regions
North America was the largest regional market in 2025 at approximately $7.98 billion, followed by Asia-Pacific at $5.20 billion and Western Europe at $4.59 billion. Based on the reported global total, these values represent approximately 38%, 25% and 22% of the market, respectively.[42]
Segmentation
Executive search is commonly segmented by search model, including retained, contingency and hybrid search; by seniority, including C-suite, vice president and director roles; and by client sector. Korn Ferry reports executive search geographically across North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, with 2026 fee revenue of $583.4 million, $215.1 million, $97.5 million and $28.0 million, respectively.[9][44]
Key players & concentration
The U.S. market remains fragmented: the 50 largest firms account for about 40% of industry revenue. In Hunt Scanlon’s 2026 ranking, Korn Ferry reported $1.645 billion in search revenue, followed by Spencer Stuart at $790.1 million and Heidrick & Struggles at $769.9 million, although reporting periods differ by firm.[43][3]
Pricing
Retained executive search assignments typically cost 25% to 35% of the placed executive’s first-year total cash compensation. Fees are commonly agreed before candidate identification and may be structured in milestone-based installments.[45][46]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Demand is being supported by leadership-talent shortages, expanding requirements for technology and life-sciences expertise, and the need for executives able to operate across global markets. The industry also faces cyclical hiring conditions, competition from internal recruiting teams and digital talent platforms, and pressure to demonstrate value on high-cost assignments.[42][43][9]
Consumer behavior & competition
Corporate, private-equity and other institutional clients use executive search firms for board, C-suite and senior leadership appointments where confidentiality, market mapping and specialist networks are important. Korn Ferry reported more than 3,700 executive-search engagement clients and over 6,500 new engagements in fiscal 2026, while competition spans global firms and specialized boutiques.[9][43]
M&A
M&A activity is being used to expand sector expertise and geographic coverage. In July 2025, ZRG acquired NextCap Search, a boutique focused on senior investment-banking and financial-services placements; industry commentary also reported that ZRG completed five smaller, geographically diversified acquisitions during 2024.[47][16]
Latest news
Korn Ferry reported fiscal 2026 executive-search fee revenue of $924.1 million, up 9.2% from $846.2 million in fiscal 2025. North America generated $583.4 million, EMEA $215.1 million, Asia-Pacific $97.5 million and Latin America $28.0 million.[9]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Executive Search Industry

The leading companies in the executive search industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

thanks to Korn Ferry reporting fiscal 2026 executive-search fee revenue of $924.104 million, while DHR Global structures executive search across more than 60 markets spanning 22 countries for its global coverage.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in leadership advisory

    Korn Ferry

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.6 · Leadership advisory

    Why we picked it: It reports executive-search fee revenue by geography in fiscal 2026, including $583.4 million in North America.

    See in ranking ↓Visit kornferry.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    DHR Global

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.3 · Leadership advisory

    Why we picked it: Its global executive-search delivery is structured across 22 countries and more than 60 markets.

    See in ranking ↓Visit dhrglobal.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Egon Zehnder

    CH

    Ranked #3 · 9.2 · Leadership advisory

    Why we picked it: Its scale comes from a platform spanning 67 offices and 600 consultants for executive-search engagements.

    See in ranking ↓Visit egonzehnder.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the executive search industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Korn Ferry

Leadership advisory · US

9.6
2

DHR Global

Leadership advisory · US

9.3
3

Egon Zehnder

Leadership advisory · CH

9.2
4

Russell Reynolds Associates

Leadership advisory · US

9.2
5

Heidrick & Struggles

Leadership advisory · US

9.1
6

Stanton Chase

Global retained executive search · US

8.5
7

True Search

Data-first retained executive search · US

8.5
8

Amrop

Global executive search and board advisory · BE

8.4
9

Boyden

Global retained executive search · US

8.2
10

Signium

International executive search and leadership advisory · ES

7.8

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the executive search industry. In Executive Search Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/executive-search-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Executive search services revenue, all establishments (United States)

Executive search services revenue, all establishments grew from 9,623,306 thousands of U.S. dollars in 2020 to 11,107,974 thousands of U.S. dollars in 2024.

$9.6M
Start
+3.65%
CAGR · 4y
$11.1M
Projected
20202024
source-verifiedalfred.stlouisfed.org2024

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption remains partial: 20% of firms integrated AI into their operating model in 2026, while 45% pointed to data quality and system integration as leading barriers.

AI in the executive search industry

  • 20% of executive search firms had integrated AI into their operating model in 2026, based on a survey of 97 firms.[1]
  • 8% of executive search firm leaders identified cost as a barrier to AI adoption in 2026.[2]
  • 2% of companies were structurally ready for AI, according to research cited by technology-focused executive recruiter Riviera Partners in 2026.[3]
  • 20% of executive search firms remained at an early stage of AI adoption in 2026, according to a survey of 97 firms.[1]
  • 45% of executive search firm leaders cited data quality and system integration as the leading combined barriers to AI adoption in 2026.[2]
  • 58% of executive search firms were at a moderate stage of AI adoption in 2026, according to a survey of 97 firms.[1]

Automation in the executive search industry

  • 16% of executive search firms heavily leveraged automation throughout their businesses in 2023.[3]
  • 46% of executive search firms planned to increase technology investment in 2023.[3]
  • Executive search firms that automated search-and-match and screening were at least twice as likely to report revenue growth of 10% or more in 2024.[4]
  • 53% of executive search firms said they could not rely on their candidate databases in 2023.[3]
  • 24% of executive search firms had not adopted a digital-transformation strategy in 2023.[3]

Digital Transformation in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 35.51% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to business-administration or management processes in 2025.[5]
  • 40.4% of EU enterprises in professional, scientific and technical activities used at least one AI technology in 2025.[5]
  • 55% of business-services CEOs identified keeping pace with technology and AI transformation as their greatest concern in PwC’s 2025 global CEO survey.[6]
  • 51% of U.S. technology executives reported no increase in performance or profitability from digital-transformation investments during the previous two years.[7]

Technology Adoption in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 30.87% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to accounting, controlling or finance management in 2025.[5]
  • 22.32% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to research and development or innovation activities in 2025.[5]
  • 27.33% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to production processes in 2025.[5]
  • 18.55% of EU professional, scientific and technical enterprises using AI applied it to ICT security in 2025.[5]

Cloud Computing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 80.4% of Danish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]
  • 77.7% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]
  • 90.7% of Australian professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2022.[8]
  • 91.2% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used cloud computing services in 2023.[8]

Big Data in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 57.5% of Dutch professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 45.4% of Finnish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 47.5% of German professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]
  • 46.8% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises conducted big-data analysis in 2023.[8]

IoT in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 36.3% of Irish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[8]
  • 52.0% of South Korean professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2022.[8]
  • 35.6% of Swedish professional, scientific and technical enterprises used Internet-of-Things technologies in 2021.[8]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Firms tie delivery to data assets and client-facing insight: Korn Ferry cites 12 billion-plus unique talent and organizational data points in fiscal 2026.

Business intelligence in the executive search industry

  • 124 consultants comprised Heidrick’s Europe executive-search segment at December 31, 2024.[9]
  • 79 consultants comprised Heidrick’s Asia Pacific executive-search segment at December 31, 2024.[9]
  • 4,914 executive-search engagements were recorded by Heidrick in 2024, providing the activity base for its business-intelligence systems.[9]
  • Heidrick Connect gave clients digital access to talent insights and internally developed assessment tools for each engagement in 2025.[9]
  • 3 geographic executive-search regions—Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific—were reported by Heidrick & Struggles in 2024.[9]
  • 12 billion-plus unique talent and organizational data points formed Korn Ferry’s proprietary intelligence base in fiscal 2026.[9]

Data analytics in the executive search industry

  • 0.1% was the increase in Heidrick executive-search confirmations in 2024 compared with 2023.[9]
  • 2.3 million dollars was Heidrick’s annualized executive-search revenue per consultant in the third quarter of 2025, up from $2.0 million a year earlier.[9]
  • 9% was Korn Ferry’s fiscal-2026 increase in executive-search fee revenue, according to its full-year results.[9]
  • 10% was the year-over-year increase in Korn Ferry’s estimated remaining fees under existing contracts at the end of fiscal 2026, reaching $1.9 billion.[9]
  • $2.0 million was Heidrick’s annualized executive-search revenue per consultant in 2024, compared with $1.9 million in 2023.[9]
  • $162,000 was Heidrick’s average revenue per executive search in the third quarter of 2025, compared with $149,000 in the third quarter of 2024.[9]

Data Quality in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 50% of organizations identified data-quality issues as the biggest challenge affecting their data-integration projects in 2024.[10]
  • 95% of enterprise companies with at least $1 billion in revenue had experienced a data-quality issue directly affecting business outcomes in 2024.[11]
  • 87% of enterprise data leaders said traditional rules-based approaches to data quality did not scale to current needs in 2024.[11]
  • 49% of supply management organizations reported that their data quality was good or excellent in 2024, based on a survey of more than 121 respondents.[12]
  • 67% of supply management organizations said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[12]
  • 23% of supply management firms spent at least 21% of their time cleaning data in 2024.[12]

Data Governance in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, according to a survey of more than 121 supply management professionals.[12]
  • 32% of organizations in the 2024 governance study had a formal governance organization in place, while 68% had none.[13]
  • 18.3% of organizations used a data-governance or catalog solution as part of their governance program in 2024.[13]
  • 81% of supply management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[12]
  • 71% of global organizations reported having a data-governance program in 2024, up from 60% in 2023.[10]
  • 33% of North American organizations had a formal data-governance organization in place in 2024.[13]

KPIs in the executive search industry

  • $239.1 million was Heidrick executive-search net revenue in the third quarter of 2025, up 17.0% from the third quarter of 2024.[9]
  • $924.104 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search fee revenue in fiscal 2026.[9]
  • $583.4 million was Korn Ferry Executive Search North America fee revenue in fiscal 2026, up 9% year over year.[9]
  • 21.2% was Korn Ferry’s adjusted EBITDA margin for total executive search in fiscal 2024.[9]
  • $2.9 billion was Korn Ferry’s total fiscal-2026 fee revenue, with executive search up 9% year over year.[9]
  • $146,000 was Heidrick’s average revenue per executive search in 2024, compared with $140,000 in 2023.[9]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Capacity and contract economics drive scale, with Korn Ferry reporting executive-search revenue growth and remaining fees reaching $1.9 billion at fiscal 2026 year-end.

Growth in the executive search industry

  • $924.1 million was Korn Ferry’s Executive Search fee revenue in fiscal 2026, with adjusted EBITDA of $237.4 million.[14]
  • 5.0% was Korn Ferry’s full-year Executive Search fee-revenue growth in fiscal 2025.[14]
  • 14.2% was Korn Ferry’s year-over-year Executive Search fee-revenue growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.[14]
  • 25.7% was Korn Ferry Executive Search’s adjusted EBITDA margin in fiscal 2026.[14]
  • 6% was the fiscal-2025 increase in Korn Ferry Executive Search North America fee revenue compared with fiscal 2024.[14]

Differentiation in the executive search industry

  • $1.62 million was Korn Ferry’s annualized fee revenue per average consultant in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.[15]
  • 563 consultants was Korn Ferry’s average Executive Search consultant count in fiscal 2026.[14]
  • 560 consultants were employed in Korn Ferry Executive Search at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.[15]

Mergers and acquisitions in the executive search industry

  • 5 smaller and geographically diversified targets were acquired by ZRG in 2024, according to Delancey Street Partners.[16]
  • 21 Executive Search-related M&A transactions were identified by Delancey Street Partners in 2024.[16]
  • 16,000-plus colleagues were expected in the combined Korn Ferry and AMS organization under the June 2026 acquisition agreement.[9]
  • 13 financial sponsors were contacted in preliminary outreach about a possible 2025 transaction involving Heidrick & Struggles.[9]
  • 10 executive-search M&A deals were highlighted by Hunt Scanlon as its top transactions for 2025.[3]
  • $6.15 billion was the aggregate redemption amount reported in connection with Heidrick & Struggles’ 2025 take-private transaction.[9]

Strategic partnerships in the executive search industry

  • 6 strategic investors joined the Advent International and Corvex Private Equity consortium supporting Heidrick & Struggles’ 2025 take-private transaction.[9]
  • 1 partnership had existed between Spencer Stuart and Meyler Campbell since 2021 before Spencer Stuart acquired the leadership-development firm in 2025.[3]
  • 600 consultants across 67 offices in 36 countries were available through Egon Zehnder’s platform after its 2025 acquisition of The Prince Houston Group.[3]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce analytics tracks demand for speed and retention, including 67% of executive teams tracking time to fill critical roles and 77% tracking retention rates of high performers.

Hiring in the executive search industry

  • 67% of CHROs were evaluated on HR cost efficiency in a recent executive-search-related survey.[17]
  • 64% of CHROs were evaluated on employee engagement in a recent executive-search-related survey.[17]
  • 67% of executive teams tracked time to fill critical roles as a workforce-planning metric in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]
  • 59% of recruiting firms in 2024 prioritized client relationships, including winning new clients or strengthening existing relationships.[3]
  • 49% of executive teams tracked offer-acceptance rates for critical talent in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]

Employee retention in the executive search industry

  • 89% of executives said better assessment data would increase their interest in staying with the company in a six-country survey.[17]
  • 83% of executives said better assessment data would significantly improve executive-level retention in a six-country survey.[17]
  • 63% of executives surveyed globally said they were open to leaving their organization within one to three years.[17]
  • 77% of executive teams tracked retention rates of high performers as a workforce-planning metric in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]
  • 46% of CEOs and board members had little or no confidence that their executive attraction, development and retention strategy positioned the organization well for the future.[17]

Remote Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • About 45% of U.S. professional and business-services workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[18]
  • 62.8% of U.S. professional and business-services employees who could work at home did so during 2024–2025, while 66.0% could work at home.[19]
  • 54% of U.S. professional-services firms reported having at least one paid work-from-home employee in November 2024–January 2025.[20]
  • 37.21% was the average share of paid workdays performed from home by U.S. professional and business-services employees in January 2025.[21]

Hybrid Work in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 22% of full-time employees worked fully from home during January–April 2025.[22]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 39% of full-time employees worked fully onsite during January–April 2025.[22]
  • 61% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs preferred hybrid work in November 2025, compared with 33% preferring fully remote work.[23]
  • 27% of U.S. full-time employees worked in a hybrid arrangement in 2025, compared with 12% fully remote and 61% fully on-site.[24]
  • Across U.S. professional and business services, 38% of full-time employees worked hybrid schedules during January–April 2025.[22]

Upskilling in the executive search industry

  • 25% of CHROs said their function was mostly or highly effective at preparing the workforce for AI and technological change.[17]
  • 78% of CHROs identified preparing the workforce for AI and technological change as critical to organizational success over the next two to three years.[17]
  • 54% of executive teams tracked skills-gap closure as a workforce-planning metric in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]
  • 53% of executive teams tracked talent density at the executive level as a workforce-planning metric in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]
  • 54% of executive teams tracked internal mobility as a workforce-planning metric in a survey of 235 HR leaders.[17]

Employee Engagement in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2024, while 17% were actively disengaged.[23]
  • 32% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 17% were actively disengaged.[23]
  • 34% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2022, while 16% were actively disengaged.[23]
  • 33% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2023, while 16% were actively disengaged.[23]

DEI in the executive search industry

  • 23% of 2024 DEI pulse-survey respondents were executive recruiters, consultants or partners in executive search.[3]
  • 34% of women changed jobs after becoming active candidates in JM Search processes, compared with 27% of men.[3]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience in the executive search industry

  • 51% of executives ranked a consultant’s industry or functional knowledge among the most important factors when selecting an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 25% of executives ranked assessment methodology among the most important factors when selecting an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 33% of executives ranked a search firm’s specific industry or functional knowledge among the most important selection factors in 2022.[25]
  • 25% of executives ranked a firm’s reputation among the most important factors when selecting an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 24% of executives ranked a trusted-advisor relationship among the most important factors when selecting an executive search firm in 2022.[25]

Customer retention in the executive search industry

  • 98% of leaders placed by ON Partners remain in their roles, according to the firm’s published performance data.[26]
  • 93% of executives placed by Focus Search Partners were retained for their first 12 months of employment through December 31, 2015.[27]

Customer acquisition in the executive search industry

  • 45% of surveyed executives said the head of HR makes the final decision to work with an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 59% of surveyed executives said the CEO makes the final decision to work with an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 73% of respondents preferred executive search firms for access to difficult-to-reach candidates in 2022.[25]
  • 29% of surveyed executives said the board makes the final decision to work with an executive search firm in 2022.[25]
  • 51% of Focus Search Partners’ annual revenue came from repeat clients through December 31, 2015.[27]

Customer loyalty in the executive search industry

  • 95% of ON Partners’ new business is referral-driven, according to the firm’s published data.[26]
  • 85% of ON Partners’ clients return for a second executive search, according to the firm’s published data.[26]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

External messaging shifts toward co-creation and AI-enabled content; 74% of B2B influencers use artificial-intelligence tools to enhance content creation in Q1 2026 research.

Influencer Marketing in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 86% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners and creators prefer co-creating content with brands rather than amplifying finished brand content, based on Q1 2026 research.[28]
  • 78% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners identify brand awareness and lead generation as their joint top challenges, based on Q1 2026 research.[28]
  • 74% of B2B influencers use artificial-intelligence tools to enhance content creation, based on Q1 2026 research.[28]
  • 44% of B2B influencer-marketing practitioners say finding the right talent is their single biggest collaboration obstacle, based on Q1 2026 research.[28]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Confirmation and delivery volume move with market cycles; Heidrick recorded 4,914 executive-search confirmations in 2024.

Process optimization in the executive search industry

  • 9.7% fewer executive search confirmations were recorded in Heidrick & Struggles’ Europe segment in 2024.[9]
  • 2.5% fewer executive search confirmations were recorded in Heidrick & Struggles’ Asia-Pacific segment in 2024.[9]
  • 13% year-over-year constant-currency growth was reported for Korn Ferry executive-search global new business in Q4 FY2025.[15]
  • 25.5% growth in confirmations increased Heidrick Consulting revenue in 2024, although the segment is adjacent to executive search operations.[9]
  • 4,914 executive search confirmations were recorded by Heidrick & Struggles in 2024, compared with 5,411 in 2023.[9]

Operational efficiency in the executive search industry

  • 215 executive-search consultants were assigned to Heidrick & Struggles’ Americas segment at December 31, 2024.[9]
  • $2.0 million was Heidrick & Struggles’ annualized net executive-search revenue per consultant in 2024, up from $1.9 million in 2023.[9]
  • 418 executive-search consultants worked at Heidrick & Struggles at December 31, 2024, compared with 414 at December 31, 2023.[9]
  • $1.62 million was Korn Ferry’s annualized executive-search fee revenue per average consultant in Q4 FY2025.[15]
  • 79 executive-search consultants were assigned to Heidrick & Struggles’ Asia-Pacific segment at December 31, 2024.[9]

Quality management in the executive search industry

  • $227 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search fee revenue in Q4 FY2025.[15]
  • $143 million of Korn Ferry’s Q4 FY2025 executive-search fee revenue came from North America.[15]
  • $818.4 million was Heidrick & Struggles’ 2024 executive-search net revenue, up 4.9% year over year.[9]
  • 0.1% growth in executive-search confirmations was reported by Heidrick & Struggles for 2024 compared with 2023.[9]
  • $53 million of Korn Ferry’s Q4 FY2025 executive-search fee revenue came from EMEA.[15]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the professional and business services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 65% of U.S. CPA firms participating in the 2025 National MAP Survey that offshored used India, followed by 33% using the Philippines.[29]
  • 60% of EU business-services enterprises sourcing abroad were in the business-services sector, compared with 40% in industry and construction, during 2021–2023.[5]
  • 28.8% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad sourced information and communication technology services internationally during 2021–2023.[5]
  • 39% of EU enterprises sourcing abroad outsourced business functions to external providers during 2021–2023, while 72% used affiliated-group insourcing.[5]
  • 29% of U.S. CPA firms responding to the 2025 National MAP Survey utilized offshoring, rising to 74% among firms with at least $10 million in net client fees.[29]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing anchors on compensation-based fee ranges, with typical retained executive-search fees at 25% to 35% of first-year total cash compensation.

Pricing strategy in the executive search industry

  • 10% to 12% of the retainer is the additional administrative or expense fee some competing search firms charge, according to Hager.[30]
  • 20% to 25% of first-year salary is charged by hybrid retained-contingency firms after an upfront retainer, according to Sigma Assessment Systems.[31]
  • 25% to 35% of total first-year compensation is the typical retained-search fee range described by Sigma Assessment Systems.[31]
  • 25% to 35% of first-year total cash compensation is the typical retained executive-search fee range reported for 2025.[32]
  • $8,000 is the approximate upfront retainer cited for hybrid retained-contingency executive search engagements.[31]

Cost reduction in the executive search industry

  • 7.1% lower Heidrick Consulting adjusted EBITDA loss was reported in 2024 compared with 2023.[9]
  • 0.1% lower Asia-Pacific fixed compensation expense was reported by Heidrick & Struggles in 2024.[9]
  • 1.9% lower Europe fixed compensation expense was reported by Heidrick & Struggles in 2024.[9]
  • 4.0% lower general and administrative expense was reported by Heidrick & Struggles’ Americas segment in 2024.[9]
  • $0.4 million lower Heidrick Consulting adjusted EBITDA loss was reported in 2024 compared with 2023.[9]

Profitability in the executive search industry

  • $171.1 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search adjusted EBITDA for the year ended April 30, 2024.[9]
  • 25.0% was Korn Ferry’s executive-search adjusted EBITDA margin in Q3 FY2025.[15]
  • $54.2 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search adjusted EBITDA in Q4 FY2025.[15]
  • 9.0% was Heidrick & Struggles’ 2024 adjusted EBITDA margin in the Europe executive-search segment.[9]
  • 13.8% was Heidrick & Struggles’ 2024 adjusted EBITDA margin in the Asia-Pacific executive-search segment.[9]

Financial planning in the executive search industry

  • $540.6 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search fee revenue for the year ended April 30, 2023.[9]
  • $71.7 million was Heidrick & Struggles’ consolidated net-revenue increase in 2024.[9]
  • $814.3 million was Korn Ferry’s total executive-search revenue for the year ended April 30, 2024.[9]
  • $806.2 million was Korn Ferry’s executive-search fee revenue for the year ended April 30, 2024.[9]
  • $38.3 million was Heidrick & Struggles’ year-over-year executive-search net-revenue increase in 2024.[9]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Service portfolios extend beyond placement; Korn Ferry cites 115 million-plus assessments in fiscal 2026 supporting executive-search and leadership products.

Product development in the executive search industry

  • $43.3 million was recorded as a 2024 goodwill impairment charge for Heidrick’s On-Demand Talent reporting unit, affecting the company’s newer service-product portfolio.[9]
  • 12 billion-plus unique talent and organizational data points supported Korn Ferry’s product and service development in fiscal 2026.[9]
  • 115 million-plus assessments formed part of Korn Ferry’s proprietary talent and organizational data assets supporting executive-search and leadership products in fiscal 2026.[9]
  • 93 Heidrick Consulting consultants were reported at September 30, 2025, supporting product development across leadership assessment and advisory services.[9]
  • 4,914 executive-search engagements were recorded by Heidrick & Struggles in 2024, compared with 5,411 in 2023, reflecting the scale of the firm’s core service product.[9]

Product lifecycle in the executive search industry

  • $111.9 million was Heidrick Consulting net revenue in 2024, showing the firm’s post-search leadership-advisory extension beyond executive placement.[9]
  • $50.9 million was Heidrick’s On-Demand Talent net revenue in the third quarter of 2025, representing a complementary service lifecycle after or alongside executive search.[9]
  • 3 service stages—finding leaders, setting them up for success and accelerating their performance—were identified by Heidrick as the intended executive-search client lifecycle.[9]
  • 63 offices in 30 countries supported Heidrick’s global executive-search delivery and client-service lifecycle at December 31, 2024.[9]
  • 503 consultants were employed by Heidrick & Struggles across executive search and consulting at December 31, 2024, supporting ongoing client relationships beyond individual searches.[9]

Value proposition in the executive search industry

  • 418 executive-search consultants worked at Heidrick & Struggles at December 31, 2024, providing specialized senior-leadership expertise.[9]
  • 215 consultants served the Americas, 124 Europe and 79 Asia Pacific in Heidrick executive search at December 31, 2024.[9]
  • 9,000 approximately employees, 98 global offices and 51 countries defined Korn Ferry’s global scale proposition in fiscal 2026.[9]
  • 12 billion-plus proprietary talent and organizational data points were cited by Korn Ferry as a foundational asset for better people and organizational decisions in fiscal 2026.[9]
  • 63 offices across 30 countries gave Heidrick & Struggles a global delivery footprint for executive-search clients at December 31, 2024.[9]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Governance and reporting show up in recurring metrics, including Heidrick & Struggles Scope 1 emissions of 558 metric tons in 2024.

Sustainability in the executive search industry

  • 4,000 carbon credits were purchased in 2023 and delivered in 2024 through Heidrick & Struggles’ climate-project program.[17]
  • 4 geographic markets were represented on Korn Ferry’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee in 2024: APAC, EMEA, Latin America and North America.[33]
  • 63 Heidrick & Struggles offices across 30 countries were included in its 2024 sustainability-impact reporting boundary.[17]
  • 65% of Heidrick & Struggles’ purchased-goods and services suppliers, measured by spend, are targeted to set science-based emissions goals by 2029.[17]
  • 99% of Heidrick & Struggles employees received annual performance reviews in 2024.[17]

ESG in the executive search industry

  • 8 years was the period Korn Ferry had responded to the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire by its 2024 report.[33]
  • 2 ISO certifications covered Korn Ferry’s information-security and data-privacy practices in 2024: ISO 27001 and ISO 27018.[33]
  • Management level was Korn Ferry’s CDP rating for its 2024 submission covering 2023 emissions and climate practices.[33]
  • Top 5% was Korn Ferry’s EcoVadis sustainability-rating position after receiving a Gold Medal in January 2025.[33]
  • 8.3 was Korn Ferry’s 2024 Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating, placing the firm at negligible risk of material ESG-related financial impacts.[33]

CSR in the executive search industry

  • $4 million-plus was donated by Korn Ferry financially or through in-kind services in fiscal 2024.[33]
  • 1,800-plus professionals had participated in Korn Ferry Charitable Foundation’s Leadership U for Humanity program since its November 2020 launch.[33]
  • 4 years was the duration of Korn Ferry’s funding of climate-action projects beyond its value chain by 2024.[33]
  • $1.5 million-plus had been awarded by the Korn Ferry Charitable Foundation’s Lester B. Korn Scholarship Program since its inception in 2021.[33]

Carbon footprint in the executive search industry

  • 558 metric tons of CO2e were Heidrick & Struggles’ Scope 1 emissions in 2024.[17]
  • 26,613 metric tons of CO2e were Heidrick & Struggles’ total market-based emissions in 2024, including Scope 3.[17]
  • 30% was Korn Ferry’s target reduction in total Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025 versus its 2019 baseline.[33]
  • 5,412 metric tons of CO2e were Korn Ferry’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2023, globally.[33]
  • 25,044 metric tons of CO2e were Heidrick & Struggles’ Scope 3 emissions in 2024.[17]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Global footprints are operationally specific, with Korn Ferry supported by 98 offices in 51 countries as of April 30, 2026.

Globalization in the executive search industry

  • $24 million was Korn Ferry’s APAC Executive Search fee revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.[15]
  • $535.9 million was Korn Ferry Executive Search North America fee revenue in fiscal 2025, up 6% from fiscal 2024.[14]
  • $924.1 million was Korn Ferry’s Executive Search fee revenue in fiscal 2026 across North America, EMEA, APAC and Latin America.[14]
  • 98 offices in 51 countries supported Korn Ferry’s global operations as of April 30, 2026.[14]
  • $53 million was Korn Ferry’s EMEA Executive Search fee revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.[15]

Stakeholder management in the executive search industry

  • 350 Marquee and Diamond accounts represented approximately 40% of Korn Ferry’s consolidated fee revenue at fiscal year-end 2026.[14]
  • More than 3,700 Executive Search engagement clients used Korn Ferry in fiscal 2026.[14]

Distribution channels in the executive search industry

  • Heidrick & Struggles completed its acquisition of Business Talent Group in 2021 to provide on-demand independent professionals, interim executives and permanent placements.[9]
  • More than 6,500 new Executive Search engagements were opened by Korn Ferry in fiscal 2026.[14]
  • 1,738 new Executive Search assignments were recorded by Korn Ferry in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, up 10% year over year.[15]

Key questions about the Executive Search Industry

How big is the executive search market in 2025?
The global executive search market reached $20.82 billion in 2025.
What growth rate should we use for planning through 2030?
The global market is forecast to expand at an 8.8% CAGR through 2030, reaching $31.78 billion by 2030.
Which companies lead the executive search industry?
thanks to Korn Ferry reporting fiscal 2026 executive-search fee revenue of $924.104 million, while DHR Global structures executive search across more than 60 markets spanning 22 countries for its global coverage.
What technology shifts matter most in 2026 for operating models?
In 2026, 20% of firms had integrated AI into their operating model and 58% were at a moderate stage; 45% cited data quality and system integration as the leading combined barriers.
How concentrated is the U.S. market structure?
The U.S. industry revenue is $7B, with the top 50 U.S. firms accounting for about 40% of industry revenue.
How are retained fees typically priced in executive search?
Retained executive search assignments typically cost 25% to 35% of the placed executive’s first-year total cash compensation, with fees commonly agreed before candidate identification and structured in milestone-based installments.
Reference

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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Executive Search Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/executive-search-industry-statistics
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Sophie Moreland. "Executive Search Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/executive-search-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Executive Search Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/executive-search-industry-statistics.

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